School Funding
The one major difficulty I see with our public school system centers on the financial problems of many districts and funding inequities among many of them. I am concerned with the financial status of my school because the students in my classroom need to feel that they are important and that they are worthwhile. In today’s society we tell children that they must attend school and that we value them. Yet, we do not necessarily show them that we value them if you look at the funding levels of the public school. We spend annually $8,560 per student in Oregon, $5,300 annually per student in Florida, and $5,734 annually per student in Illinois. There are significant differences in funding among the fifty states. On average, local school district’s funds are 65% from local sources, 27% from state funding, and 8% federal monies. In Illinois, this compares to the funding rate for prisons, which is done at an annual rate of $21,000 annually per inmate. Schools are still largely funded by local property taxes and there can be great disparity among districts within a state. School districts located in areas with higher property values have higher funding levels than districts with lower property values. Many times they have the ability to offer specialized programs and curriculums because of their funding levels. Very often students in districts with lower property values are the ones who have the most acute need for a well-funded education. State and local sources do not always level out this disparity. Additionally many times there are federal and state mandates placed upon schools without funding. Schools are left to work budgets even more to meet these unfunded mandates. The consequence is that classes of forty students are housed in rooms that were meant for thirty. These students who don’t have seats or books in do not feel that they matter, while students in the suburbs have adequate facilities. If we are unsuccessful in meeting the needs of these “extra” students, there is a chance we will continue to fund them via the prison system. They need someone to care enough to help with the financing for adequate books and seats, which can come from the federal government. They need our president to lead them into a better future where they will feel as if they matter, and can learn.
This post was submitted by Melissa Neill.
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